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Screenwriters are, of course, the perennially overworked, underappreciated artists whose heart, soul and lifeblood the movie world depends on. Since its inception in 1993, Austin Film Festival has worked diligently to erode the “underappreciated” element by championing screenwriters through the Conference, film programs and screenplay/teleplay competitions. AFF partnered with MovieMaker Magazine to highlight filmmakers with different backgrounds and at different stages in their careers: promising creators who possess original voices, keen storytelling sensibilities, and bright and buzzy futures. Join this panel to meet just a few of the inaugural “25 Screenwriters to Watch” as they impart major turning points in their careers and important lessons learned along the way.

Mike is a writer, producer and actor from New York City. Keep in touch, is his first film as a writer. His producing credits include Absence, which Cinedigm released in 2013, Babysitter (SXSW 2015), Hunter Gatherer (SXSW 2016) and Kicks (Tribeca 2016). Mike is a partner and Co-Founder... Read More →

Born and bred Londoner, Tess has been writing since she could walk (not 100% true) and her first words were ‘Elvis is the King!’ (100% true). Her first screenplay, the romantic comedy MAN UP, made the 2011 Brit List, was picked up by Big Talk Pictures, co-produced by Studio Canal... Read More →

Maya Perez is a writer and producer. Her work has appeared in The Masters Review, Electric Literature, and Misadventures, and she is co-editor of the books On Story: Screenwriters and Their Craft and the upcoming On Story: Screenwriters and Filmmakers on Their Iconic Films, both from... Read More →

Ya’Ke Smith known for his unflinching and veracious style of storytelling, is a rising voice in independent cinema.
His films have received world-wide acclaim, screening and winning awards at over 90 film festivals. The Director’s Guild of America, the Student Academy Awards... Read More →